


In Anger

by katikat



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Episode Related, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 13:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13765443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katikat/pseuds/katikat
Summary: What if Jack actually did hit Mac in episode 202? Mac’s POV. (Unbeta'd)





	In Anger

**Author's Note:**

> Written at the request of geminidaydreamer over on Tumblr!

“Don’t make me hurt you, man.”

That’s what Jack says as he tries to push past Mac to get inside the warehouse, to Riley. It startles Mac because, well, since that first brawl back in Afghanistan, they’ve never gone against each other outside the gym. Still, he can’t let Jack do this, he can’t let him blew the op, not when there’s still a chance for Riley to save the whole thing.

Quickly, Mac grabs Jack by the arm, not letting go. Why won’t he just listen? “Jack–”

That’s as far as Mac gets. The next thing he knows, he’s stumbling back, almost tripping over his own two feet, sinking to one knee. He doesn’t understand what happened at first… but then the pain explodes across the left side of his face. It hurts and his lips sting and there’s a coppery taste washing over his tongue, filling his mouth, overflowing, dripping down his chin.

Stunned, Mac touches his mouth. His fingers come away wet,  _bloody_. Slowly, he looks up, at Jack, who stands there, breathing harshly and with his hands still balled into fists. He seems ready to go on swinging, to punch someone -  _Mac!_ \- again… until he sees the blood, that is, the shocked look on Mac’s face.

Jack’s eyes widen and his hands unclench, his fury dissipates in a heartbeat, it’s simply gone as if it never existed, replaced with dismay. He takes a step forward, reaching out to… to help Mac stand up,  _something_! “Mac–” he starts saying in a quiet, pleading voice.

But Mac raises his hand to stop him - his  _bloody_ hand - and Jack stops, flinching back, probably thinking… well, Mac’s not certain  _what_ Jack’s thinking - what he’s been thinking this  _whole damn time_ \- but whatever it is, he’s wrong. Now’s really not the time for dealing with personal agenda.

“Riley’s fine,” Mac snaps quietly, surprised by how hoarse his own voice sounds, and slowly he gets up, wiping his chin with the back of his hand. His lips are split and still bleeding.

Jack’s staring at him with a guarded expression. “How do you know that?” he asks not nearly as belligerent or combative as before. The fight seems to have gone out of him.

And now it’s Mac’s turn to get angry. He hasn’t been angry,  _truly angry_ with Jack in years. But he’s had it! He understands Jack’s worry for Riley but he’s taking it way too far, putting them all in danger! 

“Because I’m  _listening_!” he snaps, glaring at Jack, and points at his ear; the tiny earbud there has been feeding him information about what’s going on inside the warehouse the whole time.

Jack fumbles for his own earbud and puts it in just in time to be dismissed by Matty with harsh, unceremonious finality. And for the first time in a really long time, Mac doesn’t find it in himself to defend Jack.

* * *

Next day, Bozer tells him they’ve been invited for a pizza by Jack but Mac politely declines. His face hurts too much for him to properly to enjoy it. His lips are all black and blue and even with an icepack the swelling’s going down only very slowly. 

Their mission was a success, they saved the Secretary of Defense and caught the bad guys, but other than that, everything else was a bust. And even though Mac swore Cage to secrecy, he doesn’t think Matty actually believed him when he claimed that it was one of the Secretary’s bodyguards who punched him in the face. 

So, Mac’s hurting and he’s cranky and he just wants to stay at home and enjoy some peace and quiet.  _Alone!_

He’s going through the spare parts for his bike in the living room, sorting them out, when the doorbell rings. Sighing, Mac drops the box with the parts on the floor and with the icepack pressed against his mouth he goes to answer the door.

It’s  _Jack_ and Mac blinks at him in surprise.

Seeing the icepack, Jack winces, shifting from foot to foot on the threshold. “Uh, I wasn’t sure if-if, uh, if I was still… you know…” He shrugs.

“I… don’t?” Mac replies. Because he really doesn’t.

Jack stuffs his hands into his back pockets. “If I was still welcome here. After, uh,  _that_.” He nods in the general direction of Mac’s face, then he shrugs. He looks at Mac, then away, then at Mac again and then down. Awkward.

Mac stands there with one hand on the doorknob and with the icepack in the other. Jack’s gesture reminds him to press it back against his face; the freezing cold hurts but it’s also turning his face blessedly numb. He doesn’t know what to say or what to do. In all the years they’ve known each other, nothing like this has ever happened between them. Sure, they fought verbally, many times so, but they never raised a hand against each other after that first time.

“Uh, you wanna come in?” Mac asks in the end, stepping back from the door.

“Yeah, yeah, that would be, uh, good,” Jack replies and follows Mac in, closing the door.

Mac turns and heads for the kitchen. “Beer?” he asks over his shoulder. “Or I can offer you coffee, freshly made. Or maybe…” His voice trails off. 

So polite. It’s all so polite - and impersonal. And  _awkward_. His steps falter. Their relationship, his and Jack’s, shouldn’t be like that, not after everything they’ve been through together.

Jack must feel it, too, because he stops suddenly and blurts out, “I’m sorry. I’m  _so sorry_ , Mac, alright? Please, I didn’t want…”

Mac stops, too, and turns around to look at Jack who seems so…  _distraught_ now.

“This,” Jack says, and lifting his hand, he points at Mac’s face, “this isn’t what I wanted.  _Never_. I never wanted to hurt you. And I’m so, so sorry.”

Dropping the icepack on the counter, Mac takes a step closer. “Jack–” he starts saying but Jack interrupts him.

“I never should’ve done it,” he states firmly. “I was angry but that’s no excuse for hitting  _anyone_ , let alone someone who  _trusts_ you. I’ve seen that happen way too many times, back with Diane and Elwood. And it would kill me if you came to think I would–”

Mac tries to cut him off, “Jack–”

But Jack won’t let him, now almost frantic in his apology. “I swear to you, Mac, it won’t happen again. I  _swear_ on everything I hold dear. I  _promise_. I would rather die than–”

“Jack!” Mac yells then winces as it sets his lips throbbing again. But at least he shuts Jack up, too. “It’s okay. Really. I mean, it’s not  _okay_ ,” he corrects himself immediately, “and if you do it again, I swear I’ll punch back, old man, but…”

He shakes his head and settles his hands on Jack’s shoulders, turning the right side of his mouth up in a half-smile. “Forget it, alright? Riley’s just lucky to have someone as dedicated as you watch her back.”

Some of the tension flows out of Jack’s shoulders and he smiles a little, too, though his smile resembles more of a grimace. “You can punch me  _right now_  if it’ll make you feel better?” he offers tentatively.

Mac snorts a little, then he pats Jack on the shoulders and lets go. “No, thanks but no. How about nobody punches anybody and we grab a beer instead?” he offers, turning back towards the kitchen.

“And pizza?” Jack asks hopefully and when Mac glances at him over his shoulder, he points at the door with his thumb a little awkwardly. “When you didn’t come, I-I grabbed your favorite and drove over. It’s in my car.”

Mac touches his lips. “I’m not sure if I can chew with this,” he admits.

“Oh,” Jack says, looking a little crestfallen.

To hell with it, Mac thinks. “Go, get the pizza,” he says. “I can at least try, right?”

Jack lights up. “Alright, then!” he says cheerfully, rubbing his hands. “Pizza and beer it is!”

Mac watches him rush out of the door and shakes his head a little, smiling. Just like that, his crankiness is gone, his balance is restored. And it’s definitely  _not_ because of pizza and beer.


End file.
